Survey breaks down preferences of social media users

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San Francisco Seven out of 10 social media users between the ages of 18-34 regularly use Facebook more than other social media sites such as MySpace, Twitter and Classmates, according to The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, a new division of the National Retail Federation.

The recent survey, called “Social Media: An Inside Look at the People Who Use It,” compared social media users to the average U.S. adult and looked at the differences in demographics for each group, including male and female usage and age differences in social media users compared with other adults.

The report found that 71.8% of social media users say that after an online search, they communicate with others about a product or service with face-to-face communication. Meanwhile, more people who use social media prefer to give advice about a product or service rather than receive it.

Social media users are more likely to use other new media compared with adults over the age of 18, and about 70.6% of female social media users regularly use Facebook, compared with 61.0% of males

More men than women prefer to communicate with others via a cell phone conversation after searching for a product or service online, the survey found.